


dust stained cheeks

by jadedgalaxies (Emeraldxoxo)



Category: Ookiku Furikabutte | Big Windup!, ダイヤのA | Daiya no A | Ace of Diamond
Genre: Angst, Drabble, Gen, Implied Abemiha, Implied Relationships, Izumi's POV, Koshien, Miyuki and Sawamura are HEAVILY implied, aggressive crying, all my baseball knowledge is from anime lol, implied misawa
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-06
Updated: 2017-08-06
Packaged: 2018-12-11 17:12:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,014
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11718822
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Emeraldxoxo/pseuds/jadedgalaxies
Summary: In their third-year, Nishiura suffers defeat at Koshien.





	dust stained cheeks

**Author's Note:**

> Daiya and Oofuri are my fave baseball animes lol so here is my one fave team losing to my other fave team

The blistering sun beats down on Kousuke’s neck and he holds his hand out to step back from the plate and wipe his face with his grubby jersey. Sweat pours down his forehead and he can’t quite catch his breath. He’s not sure if it’s from the humidity or his pounding heart. His hands are disgustingly sweaty in his gloves and when he steps back up to the plate, he swallows dryly and readjusts his grip.

He meets the fiery gaze of the Ace, a Southpaw with ridiculous moving fastballs and an even more irritating form. Kousuke’s stomach twists and he casts a quick glance upwards to the scoreboard. Bottom of the ninth, two outs, full-count, Sakaeguchi’s in position to score, inching closer to home as he signals to Coach Momo. They still have a chance; a base hit is all they need to tie the game. Tajima gave them that chance in the last inning with a two-run homer that brought them one run away from tying the game and one step closer to winning Koshien. Mihashi played brilliantly at the top of the ninth, keeping their opponents at eight runs.

No one wants to play extra innings, Mihashi is running out of steam and their second-year relief pitcher doesn’t stand a chance against the other team’s Cleanup. Logically, Kousuke knows the other team is as exhausted as they are but they still have an unused pitcher warming up in the bullpen as they speak.

The Ace nods, his lips pulling back into a huge grin and a shiver runs down Kousuke’s spine. He tenses, forcing himself to breathe deeply and squeezes his bat. He throws, what appears to be straight down the middle but Kousuke knows this pitch. He remembers the pitch that got him out in the fifth inning, how deeply it cuts into a right-handed batter’s chest. Kousuke shifts his stance, his blistered grip screaming as he swings the bat completely.

It whistles through the air, there is no satisfying clang that Kousuke has gotten used to hearing. There is nothing except for the boom of the ball slamming into the catcher’s mitt. Kousuke’s body is twisted awkwardly at his waist, his mind a thousand miles behind. It’s not over yet… right?

Sakaeguchi’s collapsed against the dirt, he might be crying but Kousuke can’t see. He can’t hear. His ears are ringing and his vision has gone blurry. The catcher rips his mask off, racing to the mound, pulling the Ace into his arms, the number two on his back taunting Kousuke. The winners of Nationals pile onto the mound, laughing, crying, screaming, they are the illustrious winners of the sought after Koshien Championship.

Kousuke hits his helmet with his bat, hot tears streaming down his dirt-stained cheeks. Nishiura, the lone public school remaining in the quarter-finals, the public school with immeasurable talent, had made it to the finals. Maybe they had gotten cocky, after beating so many private schools, but Kousuke can admit even to himself that he thought they would win. Somehow, the thought of loss never occurred to him.

And they’re third years.

Kousuke catches his breath, though when he looks to the dugout, it’s as though all the oxygen has been sucked from the universe. Mihashi, their Ace, who after all these years had grown to be a pillar of strength they could rely on, is sagged against Abe’s side, his face pressed against Abe’s catcher gear. His shoulders shake. Abe’s face is pinched and red, like he’s two seconds from crying, his grip hard on the back of Mihashi’s jersey, rumpling the 1. Coach Momo has her hat over her eyes but even that can’t hide her tears.

Hanai claps Abe on the shoulder, his face stone. “Come on, it’s time to line up.”

How can he be so composed? Everything hurts, Kousuke’s shoulders shake as he sobs. He feels so utterly helpless. Mizutani reaches the plate first, throwing his arm around Kousuke’s trembling shoulders, pulling him towards the line. Hanai is pulling Sakaeguchi up by his elbow and he comes limply. Nishiura falls into line, various states of devastation.

They bow. “Thank you for the game!” Hollow words. The siren blares and Kousuke shakes the other team’s hands while wiping his face with his filthy batting gloves. It doesn't seem to make his face any less wet.

“Good game,” the Southpaw says, “I was really impressed when you got an RBI off my changeup!” Kousuke doesn’t meet his eyes and swallows the softball sized lump in his throat with difficulty.

Thanking their cheering squad and families passes in a blur. Kousuke doesn’t even remember collecting his bag and shuffling to the bus with his team in heavy silence. He sinks into a seat, dropping his duffle bag by his feet, numb.

The bus is hot and stuffy. Coach Momo gets on last, standing at the front of the bus. “You boys played excellently,” she says, “I could not have asked for a better team. You all did your parts, all played above and beyond your limits and I could not be prouder of you all. For these last three amazing years, I have watched you all grow into amazing players and amazing young men. I look forward to seeing you guys on the big screen.”

At Coach’s last words, another dam breaks and Kousuke’s sobbing again, his whole body heaving and a horrible battery acid burning sensation in the back of his throat. Kousuke buries his face in his hands, bawling the entire way back to the hotel.

Years later, when Kousuke faces off against the same battery he lost Koshien to, a part of him remembers the loss almost fondly. Well, after he hits a homerun off the accursed cutter in the third inning. He can’t help but smirk at the astonished look on the Southpaw’s face as he completes his obligatory run around the diamond. After all, if the aggressive Southpaw battery is going to keep growing, Kousuke is going to do everything he can not to be left in the dust.

**Author's Note:**

> Izumi is my freckled baseball prince and I'm so sorry I put you through this my love
> 
> talk to me on [tumblr](http://emeraldgalaxies.tumblr.com/)


End file.
